Truth of the Whisper

Chapter Twelve.

'I don't believe he bought it that easily', Nyshard murmured in my head.

I'd just told him what happened between Phylon and me once I'd been brought back to my room. They'd locked me in again and I cursed at myself for my stupidity of thinking that maybe now, I was allowed outside of my room again.

'It wasn't exactly easy to convince him that I actually accept him mating me, if you keep talking in my head like that. What's gotten into you, anyways? It's not like he was doing anything... uhm, inappropriate.'

Nyshard was silent for a moment, then he said 'I guess Phylon and I will just never get along and it annoys me, that he thinks he can do what he wants.'

'Sure', I said, sarcastically 'Of course'

'Adriye-...'

'And if I would ask you, why you are overreacting, would you tell me?'

'I'm not overreacting'

'You threatened to cut his hands off', I reasoned.

'He broke mine for kissing you.', Nyshard retorted, immediately.

'Yes. Because you kissed me.'

'Which I only did because I wanted to put a claim on you. That was the only reason.', he said and I stopped my pacing around the room. Frowning, I stared at the floor.

Somehow, that... - No. it shouldn't hurt. But it did.

Back in Phylon's study, had I really believed – even for a tiny, little moment – that Nyshard could indeed be concerned or... be a bit... jealous? No, he couldn't be... even though, when I thought back at all those moments when it had been just the two of us, I knew that I'd felt good with him being close.

Maybe too good.

After all, he had still killed my father. Maybe, there had been reasons to justify it. But I wasn't able to verify them yet. Nyshard had always said, that he told me only the truth, but... until his Whisper confirmed it, I wasn't able to be sure about that, either.

'Right. I know, you did it only because of the claim, because you wanted to protect me. And I should just believe that, because you always tell the truth, don't you?'

'Yes. If I hadn't wanted to put a claim on you, I would have never kissed you.'

I couldn't stop the tears from forming in my eyes, even though I didn't want to cry.

I was supposed to hate this man for what he had done.

But here I was, saddened because of his words. Because of his open rejection.

I took a few deep breaths, as a realisation hit me.

I didn't hate Nyshard. Not now. Not, when he was my anchor to the world outside of this castle. Not, when I had serious doubts about all the things Phylon had told me since I've arrived here. Not, if he'd only killed my father because he had asked him to do it. Not, if he had done it because of a promise.

Still, he had tricked me right from the start, but...

He'd also given me a new life. He'd showed me, that my life could have a meaning, and even though I would have ended up alone, without any of them by my side, I now had at least experienced what friendship could feel like.

'Adri?', he murmured, almost carefully.

Angrily, I wiped my tears away. 'What makes you think he didn't believe me?'